Oyster - the next step...?

I believe the £3 "deposit" for a new Oyster is unfair, having just had to pay it to acquire a new Oyster with a 7-day 2-4 TravelCard put on it at the time of purchase.

The deposit is there to encourage re-use as the cards do have a not inconsiderable cost to produce and must be re-used to be cost effective. Similar systems in other European countries also include a deposit including one in Spain I used in the summer which had a 2 Euro charge for the card.

ITSO is the near future for the Oyster system, making Oyster readers etc ITSO compatible. This will see every Oyster reader being changed with many "back office" facilities changing including all buses going "live" rather than the data being downloaded at the end of the day. There are proposals to have one passenger operated ticket machine converted to ITSO and for a gate to be converted to see how the change will have an impact. It is concerned, especially with the gates, that a slight delay may occur.

There are strong rumours that capping will become weekly or monthly, which will be achievable with introduction into bank payment cards and being linked to the associated bank account.

TfL did have plans to remove cash fares from all London buses rather than what is currently offered. If this is ever taken up I can see those bus stop machines in Zone 1 being removed in all but a few locations.

I think it was BART that runs a similar system to that. You add value to the ticket and when it finally reaches 0 (you can top it up) the ticket gate takes it.

Similar smartcards to the oyster card have been luanched down here in south wales recently. I have already applied for my ''IFF'' card which is free for now at the moment.The cards are only valid on Cardiff/Newport bus but arriva trains wales are looking at installing readers along the valley lines network and some other bus operators are programming their ticket machines to acept them.

Expensive? Just because you pay £3 deposit on an Oyster doesn't mean the chips cost that much. They only cost few pence You throw one away every time you buy a pack of razor blades.

No, it's not. There is no magnetic strip. Its a white piece of card, that you touch on the reader to open the gates, or touch on the reader when you board the tram. It was a one day travelcard, or 'disposable chipkaart'. Explained on the website:

www.ov-chipkaart.nl/allesoverdeov-chipkaart/watisdeovchipkaart/eennieuwbetaalmiddel/

It seems to fill a gap which doesn't exist on TfL - bridging the gap between Oyster and paper tickets - a paper oyster card for one day visitors etc. which doesn't exist at present.

Coming soon to Melbourne:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Myki_Short_Term_Front.jpg
The Short term ticket is only for 2-hour and Daily tickets at a slightly higher rate than an actual card.
This is what's in the Short term ticket:
www.robx1.net/victkt/myki/jpg/z09_0033.jpg

When Myki in Melbourne is fully working We will be able to buy Adult mykis from CVMs on Trams and Train stations. Buy and top up at Booking offices, 7-11's and online. Along with the Auto top up.


In terms of Melbournes equipment:

Much smaller.

I'm only in town 3 or 4 times a year, so it makes economic sense for me to stick to paper tickets.

I did once borrow AI's Oyster as was pleased with the ease of them however...... (Oh, and I still owe her a couple of drinks for that!)